Tour de Picnic for Temple Street is back! Once again this unique challenge will combine a fantastic feel-good 80km cycle with Irelands much loved Music and Arts Festival, the Electric Picnic, all to raise vital funds for Temple Street Children’s University Hospital. In 2010 our cyclists raised over a quarter of a million for the children of Temple Street and we are hoping to break that record for 2011!!

Tour de Picnic is THE most enjoyable way to get to the Electric Picnic! On the 2nd September 1,000 cyclists will depart from Dublin with friendly experts from 2Wheels Cycles traveling with you all the way to advise and lead the groups on a protected cycle route along the quiet, scenic back roads to Stradbally. There will be mechanics on hand to help with any problematic bikes and ensure that everyone arrives in Stradbally safely and in time to enjoy the first beats from the main stage at Electric Picnic. Avoid traffic tail backs and enjoy the lovely countryside and fresh air en route to the festival.

Participants will be asked to fundraise a minimum amount for the challenge and in return will be given a precious and much sought-after weekend ticket to the 2011 festival upon completing their cycle. Your bag and tent for the weekend will be transported for you and will be waiting there for collection when you arrive at the specially constructed and secure bicycle parking site on the Stradbally Estate. Following the festival you will be brough back to Dublin to collect your bicycle on the Sunday or Monday. It really doesn’t get much better than this!

Whether you cycle to work or for fun, or haven’t been on a bike since you were 12…it’s time to get festival fit. Join the thousands of people who have been hooked by the cycling bug. It’s healthy, economic, environmentally friendly and most of all it’s a fun way to help support sick and injured children in Ireland!

For further information on this years event simply log on to www.tourdepicnic.ie for further information.

The Dutch Embassy Dublin and Bear Bicycles (a company selling Dutch bicycles in Dublin) will be bringing an Amsterdam Choir ‘Koor de Stemming’ (www.koordestemming.nl) to perform ‘Cycling Symphonies’: a musical cycling tour through Dublin on Saturday, July 23rd.

Koor de Stemming will be giving short, free, a capella concerts on the streets of Dublin, in a hit and run style. To get from one concert location to the next, the Choir will be using classic matte black Dutch bicycles from Bear Bicycles. The Choir’s classical black concert clothes will match the style of the bikes. The Choir’s conductor will be transported in a delivery bike, and he will be using the front cargo load of that delivery bike as a pedestal when conducting the Choir.

Koor de Stemming will be singing in 7 characteristic Dublin locations. Bear bicycles will reveal those concert locations on their website on Wednesday, July 20th. Joost Schouten, conductor for Koor de Stemming, says: ‘we bring classical music, in a cheerful and atmospeheric way. The goal is to surprise people and to bring a smile to their faces. Music from Dutch composers like Sweelinck should do just that’.

Irish Filmmaker Paddy Cahill and Dutch filmmaker Boele Weemhof will be documenting the Cycling Symphonies on film. After the concerts, their film will be made available through the websites of the Dutch Embassy and Bear Bicycles.

Challenge yourself to make a difference as part of an adventure to remember. Enjoy this incredible experience which challenges you to get fit and raise much needed funds for the Alzheimer Society of Ireland.

The Cuba Cycle Challenge 2011 will take place from the 6-14th November 2011.

This will be the third year we run the Cuba Cycle Challenge, and this year we have a brand new route offering our participants the journey of a lifetime! On this fully supported trip you will experience some the most beautiful views and historical sites Cuba has to offer and there is no better way to soak it all in than by bike. Also escape the winter blues of Ireland in November to the glorious semi-tropical climate averaging at around 27⁰C at this time of year!

Here are just some of the trips highlights:

· A walking tour in Trinidad with Caribbean Beach Lunch Stop

· Ché Guevara’s Mausoleum

· Hike to Caburní Falls, deep in the Escambray Mountains

· Old Havana walking tour, a UNESCO world heritage site

· A visit to a traditional Cuban Music Venue

To really see what the trip is like click here to view our CUBA CHALLENGE VIDEO!
The terrain is undulating with some steep inclines and downhill descents with a distance totalling 260km over 4 days of cycling. The longest day of cycling is 79km. But in the evenings relax in good quality hotels, all with swimming pools! Training notes will be provided to get you into tip-top condition!

The trip is fully supported with a dedicated team including a Blazing Saddles Cycle tour manager, a fully qualified Cuban doctor, a Cuban national cycle team mechanic and an English speaking local tour guide and a support vehicle available at all times.

Over the past two years our cyclists have raised an impressive €120,000 for families in Ireland struggling to cope with the devastating condition of Alzheimer’s disease. By signing up you too can help these families to obtain the services that they so urgently need